By Larry Fleming
In each of the past three seasons, Kayla Piorkowski helped Northwest Whitfield’s softball team reach the Class 4A state tournament
This past season, the Lady Bruins got within one win of the championship round before being eliminated by back-to-back losses to second-ranked Marist and No. 1 Whitewater.
Piorkowski now has mapped out the first two years of a college softball career that will start at Chattanooga State, one of the most successful junior college programs in the country.
“I never doubted wanting to play in college,” said Piorkowski, who also is a vital cog with the Lady Bruins’ state-ranked basketball team. “Once I got to high school I just loved softball and that’s what I wanted to do in college.”
And Piorkowski’s choices came down to Union College in Kentucky and Chattanooga State.
“Before I knew Chattanooga State was interested in me, I was really considering Union,” Piorkowski said. “Coach (Shane) Ramsey took the seniors to Union for a visit. But the whole experience with Chattanooga State won me over.”
Piorkowski, who started her Northwest career as an infielder and then shifted to right field for her senior season, didn’t take long in making her decision on where to play collegiately once Randolph showed interest in her.
“I didn’t know (Randolph) was at the game she watched me play, but after it was over I was introduced to her and she told me all about Chattanooga State. That got me interested in them.”
After her visit and tryout at Chattanooga State, Piorkowski was sold on the Lady Tigers, who are perennial national contenders and went 60-9 with a No. 4 national ranking last season.
“Coach Randolph is awesome,” Piorkowski said. “She knows a lot about softball, I’m certainly impressed with her and excited about playing up there.”
Ramsey, who just completed his first season as the Lady Bruins’ head coach, was looking toward Piorkowski’s future when he shifted her to the outfield prior to the 2009 season.
“I projected her as an outfielder in college,” Ramsey said. “She’s the best athlete I’ve coached, male or female, and I knew she could handle it. Offensively, she solidified our number three hole and that made a huge difference by balancing the lineup.
“Kayla drove in some crucial runs for us and gave everybody else some protection. I told coach Randolph early on she needed to recruit Kayla. Coach Randolph recruits athletes. Coach Randolph said Kayla was the best athlete she ever worked out. She sees big things for Kayla and it’s a great opportunity for Kayla.”
Piorkowski batted .287, drove in 13 runs, scored 16 times and stole 13 bases — she had 94 official at-bats — her senior season and helped the Lady Bruins to a 21-15 record and a third-place finish at state.
After rolling to the Region 7-4 title, the Lady Bruins marched into the quarterfinals in Columbus, having won 10 of their last 11 games. They were within a victory of the championship round when Marist beat them, 1-0, in 11 innings and were eliminated after a 2-0 loss against Whitewater. Marist beat Whitewater, 1-0, in nine innings for the championship.
Next spring, Piorkowski will try to help Chattanooga State achieve its lofty status among the nation’s junior colleges.
“Coach Randolph asked where I’d like to play in college and I told her anywhere they wanted me to play,” Piorkowski said. “But I really think from waht they told me the’d like for to me to play in the outfield, at least my first year.”
Ramsey envisions nothing but success for Piorkowski at Chattanooga State.
“That is a great situation for her up there,” he said. “She’s a little raw softball-wise, but she compensates for that with tremendous athleticism. And once Kayla is concentrating on one sport, the sky is the limit for her.”
